A third major outlet has corroborated reports that Sony is to release a more powerful PlayStation 4 console.

According to a report posted by the Wall Street Journal yesterday, Sony "is planning to sell a more powerful version of its PlayStation 4 machine to handle higher-end game experiences", and that existing owners "would need to buy the new model to take full advantage of the enhanced graphics and power". The console will also provide "more power" for running PlayStation VR, the report states.

The outlet is said to have been told about the console by "people familiar with the matter", with it allegedly due to be announced before the launch of PlayStation VR this October. It does not speculate as to when it will be released, however.

The article follows earlier reports from Kotaku and Digital Foundry claiming that an upgraded PS4 console is currently being developed by Sony.

A new Xbox One is also expected to be in development at Microsoft after Xbox chief Phil Spencer revealed that fans will "see us come out with new hardware capability during a generation allowing the same games to run backward and forward compatible."

In a follow-up statement provided to the Wall Street Journal yesterday, a Microsoft spokeswoman said that the firm is "committed to console innovation".

Nintendo is also due to reveal its new console, the Nintendo NX, later this year, with a launch rumoured for the end of 2016.